The plate belt of a moving walkway can be walked onto by way of access regions connecting with the two deflecting regions. As a consequence of the construction of their deflecting regions, moving walkways usually have a large access height of their access regions. In order that the users do not have to transit a too-large or too-lengthy ramp to the access height a respective pit is provided in the substrate at least in each of the deflecting regions. The major part of the deflecting region can be recessed into these pits so that the plate belt can be walked onto almost at ground level. The plate belt usually has two articulated chains which serve as traction means and between which the moving-walkway plates are arranged. These articulated chains are guided in the deflecting regions over deflecting chainwheels. The large access height of the deflecting regions is attributable particularly to the requisite pitch circle diameter of the deflecting chainwheels so as to avoid the known problem of polygon effect of chain drives. Polygon effect in the case of chain deflection is, according to textbook (Dubbel Taschenbuch für Maschinenbau, 17th Edition, pages G108 to G109), restricted to an acceptable amount if the chainwheels have at least 17 teeth, which for a specific chain link length determines the deflection radius. This measure significantly limits the three-dimensional design. In the field of, in particular, escalators and moving walkways, the chain link length of which is usually given by plate length, the condition of a minimum of 17 teeth signifies an extremely inconvenient restriction. For example, in the case of a chain link length of 200 millimeters, as is quite usual in the case of traction means of plate belts, it limits the deflecting radius towards below approximately 540 millimeters.
EP 1 876 135 B1 does indeed disclose solutions for eliminating polygon effect with chainwheel diameters below the required diameter. The length of the chain links of the traction means, however, limits the minimum possible pitch circle diameter due to the minimum required chain pitch, so that always at least one chain link is in engagement with the chainwheel.
In order to overcome this problem WO2006/003238 A2 discloses a flatly constructed moving walkway in which the moving-walkway plates are changed in movement direction at a turning region, instead of providing deflecting regions with the usual deflection of the moving-walkway plates through 180°. In order that the moving-walkway plates to be changed in movement direction have a sufficient load-bearing capability for an intended width of the plate belt they are very long in relation to the intended running direction. However, the solution proposed in WO2006/003238 A2 has the disadvantage that the mechanical components of the plate belt in the regions of movement direction change can be exposed to substantial acceleration and deceleration forces. As a result, these are usually loaded to a greater extent than in the case of conventional deflection of the moving-walkway plates. Moreover, the abrupt directional change of the moving-walkway plates in the turning regions can lead to rough running of the entire plate belt. In addition, the proposed turning region of the moving-walkway plates requires tracks of the leading rollers separate from the trailing rollers of a moving-walkway plate in order to control transit of each moving-walkway plate through the turning region. Consequently, the overall width of the moving walkway is increased or the conveying width of the plate belt limited.